Laser radiating apparatus and methods for manufacturing a polycrystalline semiconductor film and a liquid crystal display device

Abstract

A laser radiating apparatus controls an intensity of energy of a laser beam output from a laser generating device and radiates an object with the laser beam. The laser radiating apparatus includes an intensity homogenizer for substantially homogenizing distribution of the intensity of energy of the laser beam, an imaging lens for converging the laser beam substantially homogenized by the intensity homogenizer and radiating an object with the laser beam, a slit for removing a part of the converged laser beam and shaping it into a predetermined beam shape, a detector for detecting an intensity of energy of the part of the laser beam removed by the slit, and a control device for controlling the intensity of energy of the laser beam based on a detection signal output from the detector.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A laser radiating apparatus for controlling an intensity of energy of a laser beam output from a laser generating means and radiating an object with the laser beam, said apparatus comprising: 
       intensity homogenizing means for substantially homogenizing distribution of the intensity of energy of the laser beam;  
       converging optical means for condensing the laser beam substantially homogenized by the intensity homogenizing means and radiating the object with the laser beam;  
       shaping means for removing a part containing the substantially homogenized laser beam of the condensed laser beam and shaping it into a predetermined beam shape;  
       detecting means for detecting an intensity of energy of the part containing the substantially homogenized laser beam of the laser beam removed by the shaping means; and  
       control means for controlling the intensity of energy of the laser beam based on a detection signal output from the detecting means.  
     
     
       2. A laser radiating apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
       the laser beam incident on the shaping means has a rectangular beam shape having a long axis and a short axis; and  
       the shaping means remove both end portions of the rectangular beam shape along the long axis.  
     
     
       3. A laser radiating apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the detecting means comprises: 
       a reflection mirror for reflecting the part of the laser beam removed by the shaping means into a predetermined direction;  
       a detector on which the part of the laser beam reflected by the reflection mirror is incident; and  
       a slit, located between the detector and the reflection mirror, for removing a part of the laser beam incident on the detector.  
     
     
       4. A laser radiating apparatus for controlling an intensity of energy of a laser beam and radiating an object with the laser beam, said apparatus comprising: 
       a laser generating means;  
       intensity homogenizing means for substantially homogenizing distribution of the intensity of energy of the laser beam;  
       converging optical means for condensing the laser beam substantially homogenized by the intensity homogenizing means and radiating the object with the laser beam;  
       splitting means for splitting a part of the laser beam output from the laser generating means;  
       detecting means for detecting an intensity of energy of the part of the laser beam split by the splitting means;  
       control means for controlling the intensity of energy of the laser beam based on a detection signal output from the detecting means; and  
       equivalent optical means, located between the splitting means and the detecting means, for providing the laser beam split by the splitting means with an optical loss substantially equivalent to an optical loss provided for the laser beam radiated on the object.  
     
     
       5. A laser radiating apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the equivalent optical means are optical means having a same structure as those of the intensity homogenizing means and the condensing optical means. 
     
     
       6. A laser radiating apparatus for controlling an intensity of energy of a laser beam output from a laser generating means and radiating an object with the laser beam, said apparatus comprising: 
       intensity homogenizing means for substantially homogenizing distribution of the intensity of energy of the laser beam;  
       converging optical means for condensing the laser beam substantially homogenized by the intensity homogenizing means and radiating the object with the laser beam;  
       shaping means for removing a part containing the substantially homogenized laser beam of from the condensed laser beam and shaping it into a predetermined beam shape;  
       detecting means for detecting an intensity of energy of the part of the laser beam removed by the shaping means; and  
       control means for controlling the intensity of energy of the laser beam based on a detection signal output from the detecting means,  
       the detecting means comprising:  
       a reflection mirror for reflecting the part of the laser beam removed by the shaping means into a predetermined direction;  
       a detector on which the part of the laser beam reflected by the reflection mirror is incident; and  
       a slit, located between the detector and the reflection mirror, for removing a part of the laser beam incident on the detector.  
     
     
       7. A laser radiating apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein: 
       the laser beam incident on the shaping means has a rectangular beam shape having a long axis and a short axis; and  
       the shaping means remove both end portions of the rectangular beam shape along the long axis including a portion in which the intensity of energy is substantially homogenized by the intensity homogenizing means.